Series: Lines to Aid Both Objects & People #13: The Inviting Massif

#Mai Tsunoo

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PROFILE

Maiko Tsuno / Design Writer

After graduating from the Faculty of Environmental Information at Keio University, and working at a manufacturer, she served as an assistant to design engineer Toshiharu Yamanaka from 2012 to 2016. She then spent a year in Scotland and is currently active as a freelancer.
While exploring how to convey essential information fluently, she has contributed to media such as "Nikkei Design," and handled exhibition composition and copywriting. Her main projects include the composition for the University of Tokyo Institute of Industrial Science 70th Anniversary Exhibition "Potentialities: Exhibition for a Possible Future" (National Art Center, 2018), and text writing for "Insects: Models for Design" (21_21 DESIGN SIGHT, 2019).
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Just one station away from Shibuya, at Ikejiri-Ohashi Station, through the shopping streets, lies Ohashi Hall. In August 2023, a major renovation was completed and it reopened. The building now hosts a hotel, restaurants, residences, offices, a gallery, and even a private sauna. While its exterior, nearly 50 years old, remains largely unchanged, the interiors have been transformed through the involvement of various architects and creators from the first to the fifth floors.

The first floor is home to Massif, a new venue by Terrain, which manages Parklet in Nihonbashi. It operates as a cafe, wine bar, and restaurant from breakfast to dinner and bar time. The space was designed by Daisuke Motogi of DDAA.

One of the recent notable activities by DDAA is the 'Hackability of the Stool' project. It involves 'hacking' Artek's iconic furniture, Stool60, transforming it into various tools or uses. A hundred types of stools (some of which, unsurprisingly, cannot be used for sitting) have been created, initially showcased on social media, and are now exhibited worldwide.

My impression of Motogi includes his incredibly flexible approach to materials. Many of his projects elicit the reaction, "Is this also considered a material?" Tools that seem finished are part of the material, and what could remain incomplete is finished as part of the space. Whether it's personal projects or client work, the straightforward and experimental ambiance is crafted using raw materials. This approach is evident throughout the space of Massif.

The first thing that caught my eye inside the establishment was a table with a stone top. The stone, barely processed, came from Takebayashi Stone Masonry Ltd. based in Manazuru, Kanagawa, used in its naturally fractured form. Meanwhile, the counter and tables on the restaurant side also featured natural material finishes, crafted by Ohashisakan based in Tokyo's downtown area. The wall lighting is made from melted recycled glass. Motogi describes his approach to interior design as follows:

"The basic concept is to keep floors, walls, and ceilings as untouched as possible. Since Ohashi Hall is scheduled for demolition in about five years, we focused the budget on the furniture rather than the interior finishes. Curtains were requested from Onder de Linde, and sofa fabrics from PUBLIC CRAFTS. The flooring was adapted from the wood used in the restaurant previously here, trimmed in the form of a rug. We stripped the existing walls and matched the RC texture with minimal materials, but compensated by placing organic-textured furniture suitable for the atmosphere of the cuisine served here."

The stark contrast between the rugged interior and the textures of stone, soil, and glass is intriguing. Chairs included new bar stools by Artek and designs by Martino Gamper, fabricated in Japan using domestic solid wood. Even the door handles are made of solid stone. "I enjoy designing knobs, handles, and rails in any project," says Motogi. "Because places touched by hands tend to stick in people's memories."